One thing we noticed when working in different towns was how all new estates were the same, with the odd exception. At times, if you didn't know where you had set out to, you could have been anywhere in the country, quite depressing.

Bill Phillips: It is like everything else. All high streets look the same. There was a time when houses were built by local builders using local brick.

On the bright side of things, there's work for the builders now, Bill. My grandson's father is in the construction business in Georgia, USA, and a few years ago he was basically out of a job. Things seem to be booming for him again, thankfully.

Bill Phillips: We have had a shortage of housing here for many years now Ginnie. Thanks to the stupidity of politicians the houses that councils built for rent were sold off and not replaced. Belatedly they are building more houses but not the right houses in the right places.

I see variation, Bill. More worrying is the lack of extra facilities for the new home-owners

Bill Phillips: Yes there is. They have about 4 different "designs" and these are repeated all over the place. You look at houses and say ah yes those are 80's or 90s or whatever and you could be anywhere in the country. These are nowhere near any shops or schools so the owners will have to drive everywhere on unimproved infrastructure

Bill Phillips: Halesworth has a population similar to what Droitwich used to be before they started building here in the 60s. so I reckon they could build about 5000 houses there and you could catch up with us.

I see more 'garden villages' are proposed today. The objections seem to be pretty much in line with your experience. No more roads, schools, Doctors planned to accommodate large increases in local population.

Bill Phillips: Most of the houses being built are 3 4 and 5 bedroom which suggests there will be children so there will be pressure on schools for a start.

This has been happening, and still is, all round the edges of Shepshed, that's before they even start the estate of 3,200 I told you about. No imagination of design of course, and no additional services either

The promise of school and doctors never seem to materialise. A local bus garage moved out of a big site and there there was supposed to be affordable houses (as opposed to unaffordable houses) and a doctors, together with a supermarket. The supermarket was built but instead of the homes and the doctors, the rest of the site is now all student accommodation.

When I first ventured through a modern housing estate on my bike, I got hopelessly disorientated and only when I looked back on the log from the satnav did I realise that I went both ways along the same bike path at different times without realising it!

Bill Phillips: You should try finding anywhere on the Westlands estate in droitwich